I'll agree with the first regular job. He's been socially isolated for 18 years and probably has very little ability to function in the real world. A job at Pizza Hut or Starbucks will put some money in his pocket, get him self-sufficient, and interacting with people. He'll be able to rent an apartment and then he can spend time coding and learning in his off hours.
While he's doing that he's going to have to hit the pavement and find someone willing to take a chance on him. That will be the tough part. He needs to build a resume. Contracting might be a good way to start.
Lots of luck to him. Have him start a blog so we can follow how it's going. I'd find the insights into the prison system and his work toward the future very interesting, if he's will to share.
I'll definitely suggest the blog to him. While researching his situation I came across someone on Quora who was just recently released after 25 years. He writes extensively on the subject you're curious about:
One quote from those links in particular stands out:
> "The links above provide definitive proof that a prisoner can indeed write books. Bringing those books to market, however, could expose the person in prison to disciplinary problems. Since I brought many books to market during my lengthy odyssey, authorities frequently charged me with the disciplinary infraction of “conducting a business.” They locked me in solitary confinement numerous times and they frequently uprooted my family by transferring me in chains to prisons across state lines. "
I think that inmates should not be able to "conduct business" if they are illegal, indeed. And should not have cellphones or anything of the sort. But in this case, the guys should have been congratulated and his sentence reduced somewhat.
> he's going to have to ... find someone willing to take a chance on him. He needs to build a resume. Contracting might be a good way to start.
These are very good points. The conceptual difference between a contractor and an employee may make it a lot easier to find rewarding work for someone that would "fail" most companies' background checks.
While he's doing that he's going to have to hit the pavement and find someone willing to take a chance on him. That will be the tough part. He needs to build a resume. Contracting might be a good way to start.
Lots of luck to him. Have him start a blog so we can follow how it's going. I'd find the insights into the prison system and his work toward the future very interesting, if he's will to share.